Small businesses across the UK have recovered £10 million in late and overdue payments with the help of the Office of the Small Business Commissioner. This marks an important milestone in efforts to combat harmful payment practices by larger organizations.
Almost £1 million has been recovered so far in the current financial year alone, with more than £500,000 secured in December 2025, demonstrating an acceleration in enforcement and case resolution compared to previous years.
Since its establishment in 2017 under the Enterprise Act 2016, the Office of the Small Business Commissioner has represented small businesses faced with unpaid invoices or unfair payment practices. It reviews inquiries, investigates formal complaints and works directly with larger companies to resolve disputes and release outstanding funds.
The scale of the problem remains significant. Government research shows late payments cost the UK economy around £11 billion every year and lead to the closure of around 4,000 businesses per year – the equivalent of 38 firms per day. Earlier this year, ministers launched a consultation on strengthening the powers of the Small Business Commissioner as part of a wider crackdown on late payment culture.
A small IT company that received support from the commissioner this year said the intervention proved crucial after months of failed attempts to collect an overdue bill from a major travel company.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Small Business Commissioner for helping us recover a long overdue payment after many unsuccessful attempts via email, phone calls and website forms,” a spokesperson said. “As a small business with only four employees, we just weren’t particularly on their radar. Thanks to the support of the SBC, we were able to complete payroll this month.”
Small Business Commissioner Emma Jones said the £10 million milestone underlined both the scale of the problem and the importance of small businesses taking action to address it.
“What an incredible achievement,” she said. “Over £10 million has been recovered for small businesses, with almost £1 million recovered this financial year alone – three times more than last year. Late payments are not only bad for business, but are also putting a significant strain on founders’ mental health as they worry about paying bills and keeping their business running.”
Jones added that the office can only deliver results if companies file lawsuits and urged more small businesses to seek help if they are paid late by larger customers.
Small businesses with unresolved payment disputes that they have not been able to resolve directly are encouraged to contact the Small Business Commissioner for advice and assistance.
